The past perfect continuous tense is also known as the past perfect progressive tense. It describes an action that had started in the past and was continuing during a time in the past.
subject + had + been + v1(ing)
AFFIRMATIVE FORM
Example:
- I had been studying.
- I had been writing a letter.
- You had been drawing a sketch of a map.
- We had been practicing a dance.
- We had been cleaning the house.
- They had been running in the morning.
- She had been dancing well yesterday.
- Kate and I had been playing games.
- The director had been blaming them.
- It had been eating.
NEGATIVE FORM
subject + had + not + been + v1(ing)
Example:
- I had not been writing the letter/ I hadn’t been writing the letter.
- You had not been playing cricket / You hadn’t been playing cricket.
- We had not been completing the task / We hadn’t been completing the task.
- She had not been studying/ She hadn’t been studying.
- The teacher had not been explaining the lesson / The teacher hadn’t been explaining the lesson.
INTERROGATIVE FORM
had + subject + been + v1(ing)
Examples:
- Had I been going?
- Had I been studying?
- Had you been singing?
- Had you been reading?
- Had we been starting?
- Had we been planning?
- Had she been cooking?
- Had he been working?
- Had Eliza been sleeping?
- Had the dog been barking?
